A DUCHY of Cornwall request to vary a legal agreement for part of the Poundbury estate has bamboozled councillors.

They have now asked for a ‘translation’ into plain English before passing comment on it.

The document refers to a variation on what is known as a Section 106 agreement which was originally signed in December 2011.

The Duchy now wants to make changes to that agreement – but town councillors are confused about the implications of the changes being proposed.

Cllr Molly Rennie said she had read the legal document but still had no idea whether the proposed changes were good, or bad, and asked for a delay in Dorchester town council commenting on it, until its meaning could be clarified.

Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger said she fears the changes might mean that properties which started out as shared ownership, might not have to remain as shared ownership homes – while Cllr Stella Jones thought it might be aimed at protecting affordable home status.

“We just need to ask for clarification. We can’t comment on it until we know what it means,” said Cllr Rennie.

Meanwhile a resident of Bradford Peverall, whose parish the area falls under, has written to complain under the same item in the planning register that the parish council has not been consulted about the changes to the agreement – which she believes refers to access to the site of a roman road on Duchy land.